Stark County, North Dakota

County Distress Index: Healthy · 26.5 | 33,001 people · 33rd most distressed in North Dakota
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Stark County, ND ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 26.5 — 3001st nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where housing costs consume a moderate share of household income. Within North Dakota, it ranks 33rd of 53 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show more distress.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five domains of financial distress. Stark County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 48.3 — above the national median.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 48.3
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 43
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 49
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 61
Homeownership Rate 85
Rent-to-Income Ratio 4
Debt & Delinquency 30.0
Debt in Collections 33
Medical Debt 43
Student Loan Delinquency 9
Auto Loan Delinquency 34
Credit Card Delinquency 42
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 19
Community Vulnerability 27.3
Uninsured Rate 45
Disability Rate 10
Income & Poverty 16.2
Poverty Rate 17
Income vs. State Median 24
Child Poverty Rate 8
Employment & Wages 10.9
Unemployment Rate 8
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 2
Business Formation Rate 23

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed. The median line is shown on each bar.

Neighbors and Peers

How Stark County compares to its 7 neighboring counties and population peers.

Neighboring Counties

County Score Zone vs. Stark County
Stark County, ND 26.5 Healthy —
Grant County, ND 38.9 Normal +12.4
Hettinger County, ND 37.2 Normal +10.7
Slope County, ND 35.5 Normal +8.9
Mercer County, ND 32.5 Healthy +6.0
Morton County, ND 28.2 Healthy +1.7
Dunn County, ND 26.1 Healthy -0.4
Billings County, ND 17.3 Healthy -9.2

Population Peers

County Score Zone vs. Stark County
Blaine County, ID 26.5 Healthy 0.0
Carroll County, IA 26.6 Healthy +0.1
Jefferson County, MT 26.4 Healthy -0.1
Poquoson city, VA 26.7 Healthy +0.2
Otoe County, NE 26.4 Healthy -0.2

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Stark County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Stark County

Find an Attorney

State Bar Association of North Dakota Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

State Bar Association of North Dakota Lawyer Referral Service 701-255-1404

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Stark County residents at no cost.

Legal Services of North Dakota 1-800-634-5263

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in North Dakota →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Stark County, North Dakota?

    Stark County has a County Distress Index score of 26.5 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 3,001st nationally out of 3,144 counties and 33rd in North Dakota out of 53 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Stark County?

    The primary driver of distress in Stark County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 48.3 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Stark County compare to neighboring counties?

    Stark County (26.5) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Grant County, ND (38.9); Hettinger County, ND (37.2); Slope County, ND (35.5).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses percentile-rank averaging across five domains: Debt & Delinquency, Income & Poverty, Housing Cost Burden, Employment & Wages, and Community Vulnerability. Each county's indicators are ranked against all 3,144 U.S. counties. A score of 50 means the county is at the national median; higher scores indicate greater distress.

  • What is the population of Stark County?

    Stark County, North Dakota has a population of approximately 33,001 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.